eginning and the ending," Rev. i. 8; "Shall I bring to the
birth, and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord? shall I cause to
bring forth, and shut the womb, saith thy God?" Isa. lxvi. 9.

I may add three other signs whereby to discern the time, from Rev. xi. 1,
the place before cited: _First_, Is there not now a measuring of the
temple, ordinances and worshippers, by "a reed like unto a rod?" The reed
of the sanctuary in the Assembly's hand, and the rod of power and law in
your hand, are well met together. _Secondly_, There is a court, which
before seemed to belong to the temple, left out and not measured: "From
him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath," Matt. xxv.
29. The Samaritans of this time, who serve the Lord, and serve their own
gods too (2 Kings xvii. 33, 34), and do after the manners of idolaters,
have professed (as they of old to the Jews, Ezra iv. 2), that they would
build with you; that they will be for the true Protestant religion as you
are; that they will also consent to the reformation of abuses, for the
ease of tender consciences. But God doth so alienate and separate betwixt
you and them, by his overruling providence, discovering their designs
against you, and their deep engagements to the popish party, as if he
would say unto them, "Ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in
Jerusalem," Neh. ii. 20; or as it is in the parable concerning those who
had refused to come when they were invited, yea, had taken the servants of
Christ and entreated them spitefully, and killed them,--the great king hath
said in his wrath, that they shall not taste of his supper, and he sends
forth his armies to destroy those murderers, and to burn up their city,
Matt. xxii. 6, 7; Luke xiv. 24. Surely what they have professed(1398)
concerning reformation is scarce so much as the Pope did acknowledge when
reformation did begin in Germany. However, as it is our heart's desire and
prayer to God for them that they may be saved, so we are not out of hopes
that God hath many of his own among them, unto whom he will give
"repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."

Lastly, The time seemeth to answer fitly: The new temple is built when the
forty-two months of the beast's reign, and of the treading down the holy
city (that is, by the best interpretation, twelve hundred and sixty years)
come to an end. This computation, I conceive, should begin rather before
the four hundredth year of Christ than after it